Jacob Bolotin

Biography

Jacob Bolotin, born blind in 1888 to immigrant parents, defied every expectation to become the first totally blind person licensed to practice medicine in the United States. He graduated from medical school with honors and gained recognition not only for his diagnostic skill but for his tireless insistence that disability was not a barrier to professional competence.

Bolotin toured the country giving lectures, advocating for better hospital access, and demonstrating that blind physicians could perform thorough examinations and inspire confidence in patients. When he died in 1924, he left a legacy of courage that opened doors for countless others in medicine.